From the Creation to the Death of Isaac - Flavius Josephus

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servants that were with him till then in the plain, and, having his son alone with him, he came to the mountain. It was that mountain upon which king David afterwards built the temple. (2) Now they had brought with them every thing necessary for a sacrifice, excepting the animal that was to be offered only. Now Isaac was twenty-five years old. And as he was building the altar, he asked his father what he was about to offer, since there was no animal there for an oblation : - to which it was answered, "That God would provide himself an oblation, he being able to make a plentiful provision for men out of what they have not, and to deprive others of what they already have, when they put too much trust therein; that therefore, if God pleased to be present and propitious at this sacrifice, he would provide himself an oblation." 3. As soon as the altar was prepared, and Abraham had laid on the wood, and all things were entirely ready, he said to his son, "O son, I poured out a vast number of prayers that I might have thee for my son; when thou wast come into the world, there was nothing that could contribute to thy support for which I was not greatly solicitous, nor any thing wherein I thought myself happier than to see thee grown up to man's estate, and that I might leave thee at my death the successor to my dominion; but since it was by God's will that I became thy father, and it is now his will that I relinquish thee, bear this consecration to God with a generous mind; for I resign thee up to God who has thought fit now to require this testimony of honor to himself, on account of the favors he hath conferred on me, in being to me a supporter and defender. Accordingly thou, my son, wilt now die, not in any common way of going out of the world, but sent to God, the Father of all men, beforehand, by thy own father, in the nature of a sacrifice. I suppose he thinks thee worthy to get clear of this world neither by disease, neither by war, nor by any other severe way, by which death usually comes upon men, but so that he will receive thy soul with prayers and holy offices of religion, and will place thee near to himself, and thou wilt there be to me a succorer and supporter in my old age; on which account I principally brought thee up, 47
and thou wilt thereby procure me God for my Comforter instead of thyself." 4. Now Isaac was of such a generous disposition as became the son of such a father, and was pleased with this discourse; and said, "That he was not worthy to be born at first, if he should reject the determination of God and of his father, and should not resign himself up readily to both their pleasures; since it would have been unjust if he had not obeyed, even if his father alone had so resolved." So he went immediately to the altar to be sacrificed. And the deed had been done if God had not opposed it; for he called loudly to Abraham by his name, and forbade him to slay his son; and said, "It was not out of a desire of human blood that he was commanded to slay his son, nor was he willing that he should be taken away from him whom he had made his father, but to try the temper of his mind, whether he would be obedient to such a command. Since therefore he now was satisfied as to that his alacrity, and the surprising readiness he showed in this his piety, he was delighted in having bestowed such blessings upon him; and that he would not be wanting in all sort of concern about him, and in bestowing other children upon him; and that his son should live to a very great age; that he should live a happy life, and bequeath a large principality to his children, who should be good and legitimate." He foretold also, that his family should increase into many nations (3) and that those patriarchs should leave behind them an everlasting name; that they should obtain the possession of the land of Canaan, and be envied by all men. When God had said this, he produced to them a ram, which did not appear before, for the sacrifice. So Abraham and Isaac receiving each other unexpectedly, and having obtained the promises of such great blessings, embraced one another; and when they had sacrificed, they returned to Sarah, and lived happily together, God affording them his assistance in all things they desired. 48
Page 1 and 2: BOOK 1 FROM THE CREATION TO THE DEA
Page 3 and 4: and call it the Sabbath, which word
Page 5 and 6: entreated God not to be angry at hi
Page 7 and 8: of conjecture, but being only a con
Page 9 and 10: sacrifice, and thereby making suppl
Page 11 and 12: erected by them. Now this remains i
Page 13 and 14: Chapter 3 The Flood and After 1. No
Page 15 and 16: eight hundred and ninety-five years
Page 17 and 18: others, unless they be suffered to
Page 19 and 20: longer than 120 years, for many gen
Page 21 and 22: Chapter 4 The Tower of Babylon 1. N
Page 23 and 24: Chapter 5 The Posterity of Noah 1.
Page 25 and 26: Cethimus possessed the island Cethi
Page 27 and 28: of what had been done, he prayed fo
Page 29 and 30: or passenger over Euphrates, as man
Page 31 and 32: says thus: "In the tenth generation
Page 33 and 34: 2. For whereas the Egyptians were f
Page 35 and 36: Chapter 10 Abram Fought With the As
Page 37 and 38: order to obtain children by her; an
Page 39 and 40: Chapter 11 God Overthrew the Nation
Page 41 and 42: they did, that human kind might not
Page 43 and 44: Chapter 12 Abimelech and Ismael the
Page 45 and 46: necessary provisions failed, she fo
Page 47: Chapter 13 Isaac the Legitimate Son
Page 51 and 52: capable of no such ambiguity. 50
Page 53 and 54: Chapter 15 The Nation of the Troglo
Page 55 and 56: obliging manner. And now he began t
Page 57 and 58: Chapter 17 The Death of Abraham A L
Page 59 and 60: called Escon, which denotes strife,
Page 61 and 62: ody, in arms, and all such sorts of
Page 63 and 64: Chapter 19 Jacob's Flight Into Meso
Page 65 and 66: elder than either thy or my birth,
Page 67 and 68: pardon for that necessity which for
Page 69 and 70: y God, he called Jacob to him the n
Page 71 and 72: orn, which I take to be that kingdo
Page 73 and 74: space asunder, that, by following t
Page 75 and 76: Chapter 21 The Violation of Dina's
Page 77 and 78: 401, and Philo de Nominum Mutatione

From the Creation to the Death of Isaac - Flavius Josephus

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